SHIBBOLETH: Thoughts on life and faith

I’m anxious, but do I need to be?

When it comes to change, or new situations, I often become anxious. I’ve realised this about myself more and more recently. I found myself feeling a bit nervous about having my first online food shopping order delivered! I also found myself feeling anxious when the first removal company was coming round to give us a quote to move us down to South. I prayed about both situations and I was relieved when both events I was anxious about were fine (I’m not quite sure what I was expecting to happen!) These things are SO trivial (and they feel even more so now that I am admitting it ‘out loud’!), but the common denominator is simply that I didn’t know what to expect and not knowing what to expect makes me anxious.

Of course, like I said, the two examples which sprang to mind were very trivial, but I think that the feeling of anxiousness in the face of change or uncertainty is a much bigger and less trivial issue, which I’d imagine effects most of us at some point. I am also aware of the effect of this tendency of mine as in three weeks Mike and I are moving some 170 miles down to Oxford for Mike to start his theological training. Inevitably there will be numerous new, unknown situations – new city, new flat, new people, new church, to name but a few! I’ve found myself feeling a bit unsettled with these changes to come, but today I was reminded of a song, which begins with the words:

Everlasting God
The years go by but you’re unchanging
In this fragile world
You are the only firm foundation
Always loving, always true
Always merciful and good, so good

Yesterday today and forever
You are the same, you never change
Yesterday today and forever
You are faithful and we will trust in You

I think that this is going to be a theme tune for the upcoming weeks, as it is such a brilliant reminder of God’s character and the fact that in this changing world HE can be trusted, He is faithful and He is the one who never changes. God is also the one who is with you through all the changes and that He is working all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8, verse 28). So, again, I’m not really sure why I am fearful and what I think is going to happen, when through Jesus’ death, those who trust Him have the assurance that God is working all things for GOOD and that includes changes and new situations. So, as we approach a new chapter of our lives, I pray that God will help me to trust Him more and more and to be so captured by His amazing goodness, that I can face whatever the future brings, knowing that God is right there with me and ahead of me, working things together for my eternal good.

These are some of my thoughts on change and God’s faithfulness – would love to hear any of your comments…

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Hi Natalie- you should keep a journal with things like this. Because writing them on the interenet is nice for the rest of us, but they won’t be there in 10, 15 years’ time. And as the seasons of your life change, it’ll be really helpful spiritually for you to look back and see how God was faithful when you felt like this. Because in 10, 15 years’ time you’ll be facing new things that you’ve never done before and it’ll feel the same, despite the inevitable changes that will come to you by that time. I’ve found over the past 10 or so years that I think I will remember certain spiritual lessons, but I never do. This is because I can’t really remember how I felt on other occasions. I can only think how I feel now!

Just an idea! Of course it is just more stuff to pack up every time you move…

We are praying for you both as you head off for a spell in Oxford. Hope it’s a really helpful time for you, and we trust you will keep us updated with news of how things are going! x

Thank you for your comment Lyndsey – I used to keep a journal every night, but I got out of the habit. Since reading your post I have written in it more though, so thanks for the prompt! Also, just realised you referred to ‘seasons of life’ in your post, which is exactly what I was thinking about in my latest post. Thank you so much for your prayers too – we’ll definitely keep you updated! x

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"[Christian rebellion] arises from the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God, and therefore protests against all forms of dehumanization. It sets itself against the social injustices which insult God the Creator, seeks to protect human beings from oppression and longs to liberate them… it protests against every authoritarian regime, whether of the left or of the right, which discriminates against minorities, denies people their civil rights, forbids the free expression of opinions or imprisons people for their views alone."— John Stott